The In-Water Hull Cleaning Sampling Device is generally in the field of environmental safety.
Typical cleaning methods of watercraft use abrasive materials that rub against watercraft hulls, which are usually covered in anti-fouling coatings. Anti-fouling coatings typically comprise a major source of copper, zinc and other toxins in coastal waterways.
A need exists for tools to help sample the amount of contaminants released as particles from watercraft and deposited in the environment when typical cleaning methods are used on watercraft hulls that are covered in anti-fouling coatings.